Fashion trends of recent years have returned the skinny jeans and leggings of the ’80s to many wardrobes. With long sweaters, dresses, skirts, blouses and various lengths of jackets these versatile items have become ultra popular for a wide range of fashion savvy ladies. It was only natural that the fashion industry would seek to recreate these popular products into something new to appeal to the wallets of a new generation. Jeggings, the term coined to describe the denim jean styled leggings, entered the fashion scene and appear to be hanging on strong through the changing seasons. What is this new trend? How do you wear jeggings? Should you even try them on? This guide to the popular jean/leggings hybrid will give you some insights.
What are jeggings?
In short, they are leggings with a denim appearance. The stretchy fabric is a cotton/polyester/spandex blend-that is not nearly as body shape forgiving as either traditional skinny jeans or leggings. Jeggings are made to look like jeans-skin tight, melted and poured into jeans. Some jeggings even have pockets and denim like seams to further the jean-like illusion. Jeggings are available in a variety of colors-even nostalgic acid washed looks.
Who can wear them?
Anyone can wear them. Perhaps a better question would be, who should wear them. The author is opting to skip the trend while her 15 year daughter adores them. Jeggings are meant to have a skin tight appearance. This may lead larger women to give the appearance that their jeans are actually just too tight. The style, while appealing and comfortable to many, may not be so flattering to all body shapes. The material is slightly thicker than traditional leggings, but will show every bump, bulge and unsightly dip. If you are successfully wearing skinny jeans and leggings in combination with the right outfits, jeggings are probably right for you. If you are uncomfortable with the way you look or feel in them, jeggings may be a trend for you to skip.
How do you wear jeggings? Because they do have a denim look, they can be worn in much the same ways as skinny jeans. Long sweaters, dresses, long tunic styled tops may help you wear the look if your body isn’t supermodel thin. If you are comfortable with the appearance, and have the body to sport them, cropped jackets and fitted shirts and sweaters work well also. Since many jegging styles are ankle length and form fitting, it is very important to pair with the right shoes. Depending on the overall look of your outfit, jeggings work with anything from sneakers to heels-but, need to match the style of the outfit.
Jeggings are modern; they are trendy and range in price from $25 upward into the hundreds. Yes–the hundreds. Designers have jumped on board and jeggings can yield high price tags. Paired with the right outfit, they can be tasteful, in some opinions, or disastrous. However, love them or hate them, it appears that they will be around for a few more seasons. There are even rumors that there will leather leggings popping up as well. If you are getting shudders and dark flashbacks of an old ’80’s Loverboy album cover, you will probably be inclined to skip the leather legging trend!
